Male pattern baldness if not a rare condition, nor is it a life-threatening condition. Although there’s a stigma against going bald in the UK, hair-loss is certainly not something to be ashamed of. For the man experiencing hair-loss however, especially if this hair-loss is early, the experience can be very distressing, a real knock to the confidence.
Baldness used to be a matter of fate, just ask Shakespeare, and there was no realistic concept of a cure. You could argue that baldness had less of a stigma in the past, and famous bald men such as Julius Caesar didn’t seem to have any issues. This is by the by, the point is that there is a cure these days, in fact there are at least three.
The most famous is hair surgery. Hair transplants are increasing in sophistication and can know produce a very natural looking outcome. They work by transplanting “healthy” follicles onto areas where the follicles have stopped working.
Another solution is Minoxidil, which has been proven to re-grow hairs in clinical trials. The way it works is not clear, and it must be used practically every day to remain effective.
There is an increasing body of research which implicates the role of diet and exercise in the process of hair loss. Exercise is good for you in all sorts of ways, and this includes hormone regulation which can inhibit hair-loss. Certain foods might have a role to play too, and a healthier diet could reduce levels of insulin in your blood which might reduce levels of hair loss.
